TAMPA, Fla. — EchoStar has placed a $1.3 billion order with MDA Space for the first 100 satellites of a $5 billion direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity constellation, even as regulatory scrutiny of the company’s spectrum licenses threatens to push it into bankruptcy.

To continue reading this article:

Register now and get
3 free articles every month.

You’ll also receive our weekly SpaceNews This Week newsletter every Friday. Opt-out at any time.

Sign in to an existing account

Get unlimited access to
SpaceNews.com now.

As low as $5 per week*

Cancel anytime. Sales tax may apply. No refunds. (*Billed quarterly)

See all subscription options


Jason Rainbow writes about satellite telecom, finance and commercial markets for SpaceNews. He has spent more than a decade covering the global space industry as a business journalist. Previously, he was Group Editor-in-Chief for Finance Information Group,…
More by Jason Rainbow